Airlines Charge Extra to Book By Phone

Fun facts to know and share: many major US air carriers charge $25 per ticket to book by phone rather than online. Seriously. All these carriers claim to waive this fee for disabled passengers in compliance with federal law, though Delta got caught (by reporter Pat Pheifer of the Minneapolis Star Tribune) trying to evade this policy recently.

Also, just for the heck of it–$25 per ticket to book on the phone? That’s a lot of money for a service that ought to be complimentary with the price of the ticket. Yes, I know that the airlines are struggling, between the cost of jet fuel and the Great Recession. Then there’s the fact that the hideous customer service and viciously uncomfortable coach seating may possibly be inspiring some travelers to take fewer flights and more road trips.

Here’s a thought, Delta/US Airways/United/Etc: Maybe if you stopped nickel-and-diming your customers to death, added two or three inches of room to each seat in duct-tape class, and started treating your customers like something other than petty annoyances people might be more inclined to fly. We might even become loyal to specific airlines who offer us great service. This would be especially true of disabled travelers, who already struggle to find vendors who treat us with anything resembling dignity.

How about it, Delta & etc? The space is still wide-open for a Great Customer Service Carrier–who wants our money?

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I wish I could give anyone reading this encouragement, but like all of the rest of you I have the same problems. I was diagnosed with EBV 20 years ago due to stress and nerves. I was told I had CFS about 10 years ago and suffered with it on and off for that amount of time. Two years ago I spent 55 days away from home which included 2 hospital stays, laparoscopic surgery, and two rehab admissions to help me walk again. I have to use a cane when I go out, but not in my apartment, due to a balance problem and falling. Ever since then I have not had any energy, no incentive to clean my apartment, except straighten up and put things back where they belong. I have one of our church deacons and his wife coming over to do things that I just can’t do anymore. Then another girl is going to come and clean my apartment. I have sworn them to secrecy as to what they find. I don’t like to go to bed at night and have a hard time making myself get up in the morning. Sometimes it’s 11:00 or12-1:00 before I can make myself get out of bed. I do find myself cat napping during this time. I sometimes forget to take my medications and all I want to do is sit in my recliner and read or watch the boob-tube. I quit driving about 3 years ago because I didn’t trust my own driving. It bothers me that I can’t do some of the things I did 6 months ago. I know that my age doesn’t help any, but I see people older than myself that have more energy than I ever thought of having.